The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-01, Page 1Na rnoney for
BY DAVE SYKES
tea.
The Goderich Recreation board turned down
a grant request of $1,000 by the Goderich
Laketown Band.
The grant was turned down on the basis of a
motion passed by the board stating that in
future grants would be considered for groups
starting out or for existing groups who find
themselves in temporary difficulty and prove it
with the submission of a financial statement.
Members of the band attended the regular
monthly meeting of the recreation .board last
Thursday, and asked board members to
reconsider the decision. The members
presented the b oard with a financial statement
and indicated the band performed services in
Goderich and represented the town in other
communities as -well.
It was often suggested by board members
that the band initiate a membership fee to help
defray expenses.
Band member, Don, McMillan, explained of
the 32 band members, 20 were teenagers at-
tending school who could not afford stiff
membership. fees. He added that many of them
purchased their own instruments at great.
expense.
Board member, Bob Gibbons, -said that
parents must pay $35 for a youngster to play
minor hockey and $100 if three children are
playing.
" Aside from registration fees parents must
also pay for hockey equipment and bus lees, "
Gibbons said. " Why couldn't the band do the
same thing."
Mayor Harry Worsell told Gibbons that hie
has played. in the band six years and enjoyed it
but would not play if he had to pay a mem-
bership fee.
" Fourteen years ago the town' didn't even,
have a band and if the town can't afford $1,000
then its pretty damn cheap," he said. " It costs
the town money to keep the arena running for
the hockey players. There are only three brass
bands left in this area and I will donate my
recreation board pay if we're going to be that
cheap."
McMillan pointed out that other bands ifl
volved in their concert exchange are, heavily
subsidized by their respective councils. and
maintain a, lower pr it than the Laketown
band.
Councillor John Doherty said the band
performed an enviable service to the town and
should receive the grant of $1,000. Doherty
claimed the board had given money to minor
hockey from time to time to" keep their
opera.t-ton viable.. •
McMillan said the band had strong
obligations to the Lions Club who rebuilt the
bandshell five years ago at a cost of $25,000. The
bandshell is used for Sunday evening concerts
in the summer.
" I would feel badly to let these people down,"
he said. "The members have to pay in sone
respect and I have put many miles on my car do
band business and spent many dollars of m -y
nd
money for gas and long distance phone calls."
Another band member pointed out that only
half of the uniform is provided and the
musicians are responsible to supply a pair of
slacks, shoes and a shirt.
Councillor Elsa Haydon said she did not
support the grant but said it had nothing to do
with the validity or credibility of the band who
perform a service to the town.
"My point in objecting is the board's policy
on grants to new groups only or others who are
in financial.d.ifficiii.ty, she said. "-We can't -just
give grants year after year and it's blackmail if
you say you can't operate without the grant."
Haydon added she was not impressed by
people who perform a volunteer service and
then seek credit in return. She claimed there
were many ways the band could raise money
without using the taxpayer's dollars.
Gibbons said if the band applied a $35 fee per
member Like minor hockey they wouldn't need
the grant.
John Doherty introduced a motion to grant
the Laketown Band $1,000 and asked for a
recorded. vote. The vote was tied and therefore
the motion was lost.
Randy Smith, Haydon, Gibbons and Bill
Kirkey voted against the motion and Bob
Cornish, Harry Worsell, Doherty and Mary
Donnelly voted in favor of the grant. Band
members pointed out that they perform at
several functions in town including the Santa
Claus Parade, Sunday evening concerts in July
and August, Heritage Day ceremonies, the
arrival of dignitaries and for several legions
functions as well. The Legion offers the band a
$300 grant in returnfor their services..,
In a written submission presented to the
board, Band president, Donna Baker, said the
town grant has been used to pay the salary of
the band conductor.
Theband has also participated in several out-
of-town parades during the year.
All elementary school students were kept indoors Monday to
avoid any possible eye injury during the eclipse. Each classroom
was provided with a television set and students were able to view
the spectacle on television from Winnipeg. Here a grade eight
class at Robertson Public School views the eclipse on one of the
many television sets set up in the school for the event. ( photo by
Dave Sykes)
1#
132—YEAR 9
THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 1979
35 CENTS PER COPY
Hospital board begins to doge.. beds
BY DAVE SYKES
Alexandra Marine and. ,General Hospital
Board members reluctantly, agreed to begin
closing active treatment beds in March to
balance the 1979-80 budget.
Board members and medical staff were
indignant in their condemnation of the
provincial governement's budget cutback in
budget allocations and new bed ratio formula.
The Ministry of Health has asked all hospitals
to reduce their active treatment beds to a ratio
of 3.5 per thousand population by 1981. Earlier
this year the board was forced to close beds at
the hospital to make up for a deficit in excess of
$230,000.
The hospital now has 58 active treatment
beds, 10 chronic care beds and 20 for
psychiatric care. The active treatment beds
will be trimmed to 43 and eventually, under the
Ministry's edict, will have to be trimemd to 37.
. -However, hospital • administrator, Elmer
Taylor., said he hoped that the chronic beds
could be increased to at least 15 to accomodate
the unusually large number Of chronic care
patients in the al -ea.
To trim the number of active treatment beds,
the second west wing, containing beds for
minimal care patients, will be closed. But
hospital chief of staff, Dr. Ken Lambert, warnd
board members that the cuts will have a
serious, hazardous effect on health care in the
facility.
In his report to the board Dr., Lambert
warned that bed cutbacks Are forcing a mixing
of. patients which lends itself to 'a serious in-
fection situation.
"We are now forced by our bed restrictions to
mix patient populations and we are looking at a
potentially lethal situation," he said\. " The
government must be made to realize that a
possible. "deterioration in, our excellent record
and the hazard of possible tragedy lies at their
feet."
Dr. Lambert also pointed out that as of
February 25 there were 11 patients in the
hospital who could have been transferred to
nursing homes or put on chronic home care
programs if such facilities were available. He
added that the Ministry is pushing for a shift of
chronic care frorn hospitals to nursing home
facilities but at the same time is unwilling to co-
operate with capital investment or main-,
tchance costs of such establishments. Dr.
Lambert said the medical staff vehemently
opposed any hed"cuts at he hospital but were.
fore era realize the fait accompli nature of the
situation despite the subsequent reduction in
the standard and quality in health care.
" The nursing staff are working at the limits
of their tolerance and are unhappy because
they feel they are not providing the' care the
patients deserve,`.',.he said. .`.As doctors trained
in excellence and dedicated to service, we find
County agrees to pick up airport tab
Bid• JEFF SEDDON
Huron County council begrudgingly ,agreed
Friday to- pick up a larger chunk of the
operating deficit for Sky Harbour airport in
Goderich. Council was split on the increased
costs for the airstrip at its last meeting but
agreed to take a second look at the issue before
turning it down. That second look was Friday
and despite strong objection' from some
members council voted to extend its share of
the operating losses for Sky Harbour from
$16,000 to $23,000.
Many Goderich residents offically said good
bye to a super guy Saturday night when they
turned out for Mery Witter's testimonial din-
ner. Witter, a sergeant on the Goderich police
force for ten years, retired last fall to join the
Onta'ita Human Rights Commission as a
community relations officer. fudge Frances
Carter, left, and mayor Harry worsen, right,
retired Witter's shoulder flash and sergeant's
badge presenting both to Witter on a special
plaque. Judge Carter told Witter the people of
Goderich will remember him "with kindness,
With appreclatlon and with Jove. (photo by
Jeff Seddon)
The request for the money was brought to the
county by Goderich town council. The town,
which•�owns the airstrip, reminded county,
council that it was obligated to pick up a share
of any operating deficit at the airport by virtue
of a contract between the county and the
Crown.- . God .er.-idi—reeve ...._..>sileen Palmar- told
council that the request for more money from
the county should not be looked on as a favor to
Goderich but rather as a benefit to the entire
county. She said the county agreement with the
Crown requires Huron to pick up a share of the
operating deficit of Sky Harbour to a maximum
of $16,000. She Said all Goderich was asking for
was $7,000. .
The Goderich reeve explained to council that
the extra money would be needed to cover
additional operating costs brought on by the
purchase of three lakefront Tots adjacent to the
airport. She said the three lots were needed to
permit construction of a new paved runway. r
Exeter deputy -reeve Donald MacGregor,
who opposed the request for more money a
month ago, told -council he did not see how the
town could include land costs in its operating
deficit. He said land purchase was a capital
expense and should not be included in the
operating budget. MacGregor pointed out that
without those land costs under operating ex-
penses the deficit at the airport would not even
be $16,000.
Goderich clerk:treasurer Larry McCabe,
brought in by Palmer to field questions from
council, said the land costs were put under
operating expenses to allow the town to stay
away from tong term debentures to buy the
land. McCabe said the land costs amounted to a
bookkeeping entry telling council the deficit it
would be sharing• in would be an airport deficit
rather than an operating deficit. McCabe added
that the decision council was making boiled
down to support or non-support of the airport.
Exeter reeve W.E. Simmons told council he
did not want to &run down" Goderich airport
but he said pilots "may as well fly off a flat
top". Simmons said Sky Harbour had trees at
one end, a highway at the other and was
surrounded by built up areas adding that he
"couldn't see us (county council) wasting
-money on expansion".. •
Palmer took exception with Simmons'
comments pointing out that Sky Harbour was
used as a training centre for airmen during
World War Two,,•-Paimer•said she felt the air-
port deserved more merit than a flat top.
•-Turnbecry reeve Don Eadie told council
Goderich had done a lot of work on Sky Harbour
and that the airort.__w.as-._" .m.uch improved"
over what it was when it was purchased. Eadie
said he had looked at the financial status of the
airport and it appeared as though it would be
operating at a break even point in four or five
"years 'and 'that :the 'finances were ''looking
better every year".
Morris reeve Bill --Elston. suggested that the
county give the extra money being requested to
the hospitals. Elston said he felt "hospitals are
more important than airports".
Council voted 25 to 19 in, favor of increasing
the county share..of..the operating deficit. The
first time a vote was taken on the matter
council agreed 27-25 to take a second look at the
issue rather than turn it down.
Jewell quits
Goderich Memorial Community Centre
manager Chuck Jewell has resigned from the
post effective April 15.
Jewell submitted his resignation to the
recreation board this week and will accept a
new position as manager 'of a larger arena
operation, in Sarnia. .. "
Jewell has been working at the Centre for the
past three years_ and was named arena
manager in January of 1979 following the -of-
ficial retirement of Bill Lumby.
Jewell said his newappointment is a "
challenge that he had been looking for" and
was delighted with his selection from the
numerous candidates for the job. He added that
the new position also had potentival.
The recreation Board has not dealt with the
resignation yet but it anticipated the position
will be advertised.
it at best, distasteful to be part of a program
dictated by a Ministry of Health, so lacking in
understanding of local circumstances.
Board members were in agreement that the
Ministry should examine each 'situation on its
own merits instead of dictating a bed ratio in
unilateral fashion.
Hospital administrator Taylor said the
Ministry formula of 3.5 beds per thousand
referal population is erroneous when applied to
Goderich. He insisted that using the hospital's
referral population . of .14,581, the Ministry is
asking the hospital to cut its bed ratio to 2.5 per
thousand.
Despite discrepancies in the Ministry's
calculations Goderich will have 'to limit its
active treatment beds to 40 within the next six
months but the board will push for" five ad-
ditional chronic"care beds to handle the load. ,
Dr. Bruce `Thomson claimed the' immediate
closure of beds will create a crisis in the
hospital rather than -approaching the cutbacks
in a gradual decline to allow the medical staff
to study and live with the closures.
" The chronic problem in Huron County is
severe and in Goderich 10 chronic patients
occupy active treatment beds and its choking
us," he said. " We are reducing beds suddenly
and we don't have the expertise without
causing crises in individual patients."
Board member Jim McCaul said there were
simply no options available and the cuts must -
be done. He claimed the Ministry didn't give
the hospital any alternatives.
Tfhe hospital fiscal year begins April 1 and
the board has been granted an increase of 2,86
Per cent over last years figure to` a 1979-80
operating Midget of about $3.6 million.
With only a 2.86 per centiiucrease the board
will have some tough negotiations with em-
ployee contracts. Members of the Service
Workers Union Local 210.are ,seeking con-
cilliation for a 24 per cent wage increase. The
board had offered four per cent. Dr. Lambert
told board members that seemed to be little
concern over the bed cutbacks in Clinton,
Exeter or Seaforth and that Goderich and
Wingha'm were the only hospitals taking some
action. A public meeting was held in Wingham
to discuss the situation and the board agreed to
stage a similar meeting in Goderich to discuss
the problems with the public and the effect and
finality of the cuts on the community.
i
INDEX
Hockey Playoffs
Win Superman Tickets
Mom works hard
Getting married?
Page 11
Page 16
Page lA
See insert